Controlling-lever lock.



C. A. SCHULTZ, JR. & E. L. McMANUS, JR.

CONTROLLING LEVER LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1915.

Patented Nov. 9, 191".

WITNESSES A TTOR/VE Y8 COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

l lfTEl) EATE PATENT @EEfQE.

CHARLES A. SCHULTZ, JR., AND EDWARD L. MGMANUS, 31%., 0F NEVJ' YORK, N.Y.

CONTROLLING-LEVER LOCK.

Applicationfiled June 28, 1915.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, OHAnLns A. SCHULTZ,Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough ofRichmond, city of New York, county of Richmond, and State of New York,and EDWARD L. MoMiinUs,

J12, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough ofManhattan, city of New York, county of, New York, and State of New York,have invented a new and Improved Controlling-Lever Look, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to locking means for controlling levers, and hasreference more particularly to locking means for the controlling leversof electric motors for vehicles,

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, easily operable andinexpensive lock for the controlling lever, whereby the lever is lockedin a neutral position when the vehicle is at rest.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will morefully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fullydescribed, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of the application similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views,and Figure 1 is a side elevation of the controlling lever and asectional view of the lock therefor; and Fig. 2 is a plan view in thedirection of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1 of the lock casing, being partly insection to show the details of construction.

Before proceeding to a more detailed description of our invention, itmust be clearly understood that, although the description and drawingsrefer to a controlling lever of an electrically propelled vehicle, thelock can be as efiiciently applied, with slight or no modifications, tocontrolling levers of vehicles propelled by means of any other motivepower.

Referring to the drawings, 3 represents the controlling lever, which ismounted to oscillate over the sector 1, a fragment of which only isshown. The sector has a notch 5, preferably V-shaped, and which notch isadapted to be engaged by a V-shaped end of abar 6 mounted to slide in abearing 7 secured to the controlling lever 3. The bar 6 is connected bya stem 8 to a slide 9, en-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

$eria11lo. 36,681.

gaged in a casing 10, secured to the lever 3.

A- resilient member 11, preferably in the shape of a coil spring, ismounted on the stem, so that one end of the spring is abutting againstthe casing 10 while the other abuts against a collar 12 provided on thestem. The tendency of the spring 11 is to move the bar 6 against thesector and thereby to bring the end of the bar 6 into engage ment withthe notch 5. The slide 9 is provided with a handle 13, in the shape of ahook, located adjacent to a knob 11 011 the controlling lever 3. Theslide 9 has a stepped slot 15, which is engaged by the leaf 16 of a key17, mounted to move transversely in the slot, and guided within a socket18, forming part of the casing 10 and projecting through the lever 3.The length of the leaf 16 is substantially equal to the shorter part ofthe recess 15. A. coil spring 19 is provided within the socket, andwhich engages the head 20 of the key, and normally tends to move theleaf 16 of the key from the larger part of the recess into the smallerpart thereof. lhe end of the stem of the key is also guided by thecasing 10, as will. be seen from Fig. 1.

It will be seen from the drawings that when the bar 6 engages the notch5, the leaf 16 of the key is engaging the smaller portion oftheshouldered recess 15, thereby preventing displacement of the slide 9,and consequently locking the lever 3 in its neutral position. To operatethe lever 3, pressure must be applied with one finger on to the head 20of the key, while the hollow of the hand engages the knob. T hisdisplacement of the key brings the leaf 16 in alinement with the largerportion of the stepped slot 15, unlocking the slide, which may be thenoperated by its handle 13, thereby disengaging the bar 6 from the notch5 of the sector.

The lever 3 can then be moved, and until.

the bar 6 of the lever 3 is not in alinement with the notch 5, the lockremains inoperative, as the leaf 16 is not in alinement with the smallerportion of the slot 15. It may be remarked that our lock is of suchnature. and so locked on the controlling lever 3, that the same isoperable by the fingers of the hand which engages the handle of thelever, so that by the same hand the lock and the lever can be controlledwith ease.

One of the principal reasons for providing this look is to preventchildren in the street from moving the controlling leverlever,'comprising a slide on the lever; a

resilient member associated with the slide and normally tending toengage the same with the sector; a depressible key associated with saidslide, mounted to move transversely thereof and adapted to lock saidslide when the same is engaged with the sector; said key must bemaintained in the depressed position when it is desired to disengage theslide from the sector, said key and slide having means adjacent to thehaIidle of the lever so that the same can be operated by the same handwhich engages the handle ofthe lever.

2. The combination with a controlling lever and a sector therefor, of alock comprising a casing secured to the lever, a slide in said casingadapted to move longitudinally of the lever, said slide having a steppedslot whereby a longer and a shorter portion of the slot is formed, a keyhaving a leaf engaging said slot, the leaf of the key being of a lengthsubstantially equal to the shorter portion of the slot, a resilientmember associated with the key and normally tending to move the leafthereof from the larger into the smaller portion of the slot, a barassociated with the slide, the sector having a recess adapted to beengaged by said bar, and a resilient member normally tending to move thebar into the recess, said controlling i.

member associated with theslide andnor-- mally tending to move the sameinto -en'- gagement with the sector, said lever having a handle, saidslide also having a handle for operating the same located adjacent thehan dle of the lever, said slide having a stepped whereby a longer and ashorter portion 5 slot of the slot is formed, a depressible key locatedadjacent the handle'of the lever engaging the slot, said key beingadapted to engage the shorter portion of the slot when the slideengagesthe sector and whereby the lever is locked, and by depressing the keyfrom theshorter portion into the larger por tion of the slot the slidecan be disengaged from the sector thereby unlocking the lever.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. SCHULTZ, JR. EDWARD L. MCMANUS, JR.

Witnesses:

B. Jorrn, PHILIP D. ROLLHAUS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents'each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. i

